1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates gradually to a pack for tablet-like objects, and more particularly hygroscopic laundry/dishwasher detergent tablets, comprising a closed outer pack and film bags which are arranged in the outer pack and in each of which at least one tablet is accommodated, each film bag being closed at either end by a transverse seam and, along its length, by a longitudinal seam, and to a process for the production of such a pack in which film bags closed at either end by a transverse seam and, along their length, by a longitudinal seamxe2x80x94and each accommodating at least one tablet-like object, more particularly a hygroscopic laundry/dishwasher detergent tablet, are introduced into an outer pack and the outer pack is then close.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Laundry/dishwasher detergent tablets, which have to be protected against moisture, for example because of their hygroscopic properties, are generally packed in film bags. So-called flow packs, for example, have been successfully used in practice. Flow packs consist of a tubular film bag with one longitudinal seam and two transverse seams, so-called fins. The production of flow packs is known and is normally carried out in high-performance machines immediately after production of the tablets.
Tablets wrapped (one or more at a time) in such film bags are normally packed loosely in a box-like container, such as a packet, a carry bag, drum or the like, which in principle forms a sufficiently stable outer pack for storage and transportation. Stability in this regard relates to the necessary compressive strength of the container under pressure and the loads applied during storage in pallets.
Unfortunately, detergent tablets are breakable products which, during packaging and transportation, are generally stressed to such an extent that edge breakage, fracture and abrasion are unavoidable, even with normal stable outer packs. The tablet is not protected against such damage by the film bag either which only affords slight additional protection against impact stress and in transit.
An object of the present invention is to improve a pack of the type previously mentioned, that is easily manufactured, and provides packaging that avoids direct impact or compressive stressing of the tablet.
According to one embodiment of the invention, this object is satisfied by a pack of the type previously mentioned wherein the film bags are arranged sorted in the outter pack with their longitudinal seams aligned parallel to one another with the sidewalls of the outer pack parallel to the longitudinal seams of the film bags which are reinforced.
It has been found that the film bags according to the invention are able to accommodate impacts parallel to the longitudinal seam relatively well; these impacts would appear to be absorbed by the transverse fins (transverse seams) of the film bag. Utilizing this discovery, the sorted arrangement of the film bags in the outer pack ensures that the impact stresses parallel to the longitudinal seams cannot result in damage to the tablets. By virtue of the special design of the outer pack with reinforced walls, impact stresses in the transverse direction, i.e. parallel to the transverse seams, are arrested in the correspondingly reinforced side walls of the outer pack so that, overall, the invention provides a pack which affords the tablets accommodated therein reliable mechanical protection in storage and in transit. The increased effort involved in production in relation to known packs is negligible, the tablet-filled film bags merely having to be placed in sorted form in the outer pack. At the same time, tablet damage during filling of the outer pack, which could occur in the event of uncontrolled packing, is thus avoided.
The properties of the pack and the protection afforded to the tablets accommodated therein can be further improved by equipping at least the reinforced sidewalls of the outer pack with shock-absorbing inserts. The inserts can be made, for example, of corrugated cardboard.
To protect the pack against downward pressures, for example during palleting, and against spread loads, the outer pack is advantageously self-supporting, i.e. its dimensions are such that the stacking of several packs one above the other does not result in any damage to the packs in the lower layers.
To solve the problem stated above, the invention also provides a process for the production of the inventive pack in which film bags closed at either end by a transverse seam and, along their length, by a longitudinal seam with each accommodating at least one tablet-like object, more particularly a hygroscopic laundry/dishwasher detergent tablet, are introduced into an outer pack outer pack is then closed. The process according to the invention provides for the film bags being introduced in sorted form with their longitudinal seams parallel to one another into the outer pack and with reinforcements in the sidewalls arranged parallel to the longitudinal seams.
This process involves only slightly more complexity than conventional processes where the tablets packed in film bags are loosely introduced into the outer pack whereby the present process requires the addition of a device which stacks and sorts the film bags in the outer pack.